“I’m really excited to help a batch of new guys start their UFC careers right here,” said Miller.

“I’m back here for season 14, I’m not gonna do anything differently,” said Bisping winner of TUF season three and a successful coach on season nine. “You either like me, or you don’t.”

As this season opens, UFC President Dana White doesn’t meet the fighters in the UFC Training Center. Instead, the Octagon at the Mandalay Bay Events Center is the setting for his introduction to the 32 competitors.

“The reason I brought you here today is because I want you to feel it,” said White. “I want you to take it in and look around at some of the banners up here. Not only some of the biggest UFC fights in history, but some of the biggest fights ever have been held here at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.”

And the next series of fights, to whittle the field down from 32 to 16, will be held in this renowned arena. In another new twist, fans will vote for the best fight, knockout, and submission of the season, with the winners getting $25,000 each at the finale.

After the coaches are introduced, the fights begin.

Josh Ferguson is up first against 21-year old Casey Dyer in a bantamweight bout. Ferguson wastes no time sending Dyer home, dropping him with the first right hand he landed and finishing him off with ground strikes in less than 20 seconds.

Featherweights Diego Brandao and Jesse Newell get called to the Octagon next, and Newell has some striking success early, but it’s Brazil’s Brandao who finishes things later in the first round with a left hook followed by a flying right forearm.

John Dodson was impressive with his punches and kicks throughout his bantamweight bout against Brandon Merkt, and it was a body shot that spelled the beginning of the end, with follow-up ground strikes forcing referee Steve Mazzagatti to halt the first rounder moments later.

East coasters Dennis Bermudez (New York) and Jimmie Rivera (New Jersey) squared off in a featherweight matchup. Rivera was in total control in the first round, dropping, slamming, and almost submitting Bermudez. The New Yorker got back in the fight in round two though, and after getting Rivera to the mat and taking his back, he finished off his foe with strikes. Bermudez goes to the TUF house via second round TKO.

Josh Ferguson’s brother BJ gets the next call to face Winnipeg’s Roland Delorme in a bantamweight scrap, but he won’t be joining his sibling, as Delorme finished matters in the first round with a triangle choke.

In featherweight action, Marcus Brimage was impressive in his stoppage of game Bryson Wailehua-Hansen. It didn’t look good for Brimage early, as he was controlled on the mat for much of the first round, but after reversing position, getting back to his feet, and opening up with his thudding strikes, he battered the steel-chinned Hawaiian for the rest of the round. In the second, Brimage picked up where he left off, and after another series of strikes, Mazzagatti stopped the fight, sending Brimage to the house.

Texas veteran Johnny Bedford scored the upset in an exciting bantamweight battle, using his wrestling and striking to set up a submission via choke of Carson Beebe, the brother of former WEC bantamweight champion Chase Beebe.

Tokyo native Tateki Matsuda is the first Japanese fighter to compete in TUF, but after two closely-contested rounds, it was Dustin Pague earning the majority decision win in the bantamweight bout.

In a back and forth bantamweight match, Paul McVeigh and Louis Gaudinot went to a sudden victory round, but in the third, Gaudinot surged ahead to earn the decision win.

Earning the final bantamweight slot in the tournament was John “Prince” Albert, who submitted Orville Smith via rear naked choke in the first round. And in the final two featherweight bouts of the elimination round, Stephen Bass submitted Karsten Lenjoint via triangle choke in the second round, and Sweden’s Akira Corassani knocked out Brian Pearman in the first round.

Watch the full replay of the London press conference featuring Jose Aldo, Conor McGregor, and Dana White.

31-mar-2015

Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor cross the pond to England. Aldo cheers on his countrymen to victory in a soccer game, and the two face off once more at a tension-filled press conference. Tickets for UFC 189 are now on sale at UFCFIGHTWEEK.com.

31-mar-2015

Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor cross the pond to England. Aldo cheers on his countrymen to victory in a soccer game, and the two face off once more at a tension-filled press conference. Tickets for UFC 189 are now on sale at UFCFIGHTWEEK.com.

31-mar-2015

Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor take over chilly Toronto. As Aldo’s patience for McGregor’s trash talk wears thin, Dana White is forced to play peacemaker on set, on stage and behind the scenes. Tickets for UFC 189 are now on sale at UFCFIGHTWEEK.com.

30-mar-2015

Jose Aldo channels Tony Montana while his opponent Conor McGregor channels Muhammad Ali on a busy day in New York City. Aldo trains with his coaches while McGregor schools UFC President Dana White in jiu-jitsu.

28-mar-2015

Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor share the stage yet again at The Strand Theatre. Buoyed by the Boston fans, Ireland’s McGregor wields more insults and taunts at the featherweight champion. Tickets for UFC 189 are on sale Friday, March 27.